Ghana Bound

My phone rang three weeks ago.  It was a Tuesday.  I didn't recognize the number, so I ignored it and waited to see if they would leave a voicemail.  I listened to it the next day and realized the phone call was from Jon Vandenheuvel, a business owner and acquaintence I had been talking to since spring break.  He called me back that day and after a 30 minute conversation, I staggered downstairs to debrief with my dad:


Jon was leaving for Ghana in a couple days and wanted me to join him there.  He needed my skills and experience in community development to help get the local villages more involved with the commercial farm he started.  A new partnership with the Ghana 4H club would be a perfect platform to strengthen this relationship with the locals.  I could feel my heart start to race as he offered this opportunity to me- this is exactly what I have seen myself doing as a career.  After I told my dad, I was expecting a bombardment of questions that would help me turn down the offer (I mean did I really want to go to Ghana?).  Instead, my dad quickly replied, "Well we need to renew your passport quick!"


The next couple days I spent asking the opinion of most of the people I came in contact with, gaining some good insight on the opportunity at hand.  By Saturday night of that week, I had talked in depth with everyone except Clancy (my girlfriend of 3.5 years).  We sat down over dinner and discussed every angle of the scenario.  The bulk of our conversation focused on the second piece of Jon's proposition.  Yes, he had invited me to join him for six weeks this summer, but he also asked me to consider coming back to Ghana for a year after I got a feel for the type of work I would be doing.


A year is a long time!  But it is also the length of stay and the scope of work that many of the jobs I have been applying for require as prior experience.  Clancy and I decided we could handle another six week African interruption to our relationship after that conversation.  We also discussed the possibility of me returning there for a year.  Although we are both somewhat open to the idea, it is an endeavor we would much rather experience together, as a team.


So the next day, Sunday, I sat down with Jon after church and talked about the opportunity in more depth.  I accepted his six week proposal and talked through the logistics to come.  I had quite a few things to do before I could leave- renewing my passport being one of them!  Below (picture to come) is the Vandenheuvel family and I after I accepted the short-term position.  The whole family has actually been staying in Ghana this month and I am set to join them shortly.